Lindsey Vonn, husband Thomas in process of divorcing

ASPEN — Lindsey Vonn skipped Sunday's World Cup slalom to let a tender back heal, but that's not the only pain the three-time World Cup overall champion is feeling.

She is in the process of divorcing her husband of four years, Thomas Vonn.

"It is with great sadness that I announce that Thomas and I have begun divorce proceedings," Vonn said in a statement provided Sunday night to The Denver Post. "This is an extremely difficult time in my personal life and I hope the media and my fans can respect my need for privacy on this matter. I will continue to be coached by the U.S. Ski Team and look forward to competing the rest of the season."

Thomas, a former U.S. racer, was more than a husband to Lindsey. He offered her on-hill tactical strategy and helped manage demands on her time away from the slopes.

Lindsey will travel today to Lake Louise, Alberta, for World Cup downhill and super-G races.

Not all kids who play baseball are uniformed with fancy script across their chests, traveling to $1,000 instructional camps and drilled how to properly hit the cut-off man. Some kids just play to play.